Balanced valve



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEVES KNEEDLER, OF GALEDONI A, IOlVA, ASSIGNOE TO CALVIN B. MORRIS, GEORGE S. ALLYN, JAMES C. ASKREN, AND JOHN T. MERRILL, ALL OF MOUNT AYE, IowA.

BALANCED VALVE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.342,444, dated May 25, 1886.

Application filed March 10, 1886. Serial No. 194,720. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LEwEs KNEEDLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Caledonia, in the county of Ringgold and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Balanced Valves'for Locomotives, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawlugs.

My invention relates to an improvement in relief-valves for locomotives and other steamengines; and it consists in the peculiar construction and combination of devices that will be more fully set forth hereinafter, and par- I 5 ticularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side eleva tion of a valve embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is avertical longitudinal sectional vie of the same. Fig. 3 is a top plan view. Fig.

4 is a horizontal section taken on the line at :c of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the expansible ring.

Arepresentsa cut-off valve, which is located in the steam-chest a of a locomotive or other steam-engine, and is adapted to slide back and forth therein in the usual manner. Centrally from the upper side of the base B of this valve projects a hollow cylindrical column, 0, having its upper and lower ends closed, as shown in Fig. 2, and provided at its upper end with a central circular boss or projection, E. From opposite sides of the column 0, at a suitable distance above the base, project lugs E. In the sides of the column are made four oppositely-arranged openings,F.

G represents flat springs, which are placed transversely one on top of the other, and have their outer ends projecting through the openings F, and are bent upwardly, as at 9.

Set-screws H and I pass through the upper and lower ends of the column, respectively,

and bear upon the central portions of the spring.

K represents an annular yoke, the interior diameter of which is such as to cause it to fit over the column of the valve, the said yoke being provided with aligned openings k, which enable it to clear the lugs E of the column,

and the said lugs prevent the yoke from rising on the column, causing it to always bear firmly on the base of the valve. To this yoke is attached the usual valve-rod,7c,whieh is adapted to be attached to the eccentric of the engine in the ordinary way.

L represents an annular ring having a slit or opening, Z, in one side, by means of which the ring is made expansible. The meeting ends of the ring, on opposite sides of the slit or opening, are provided with aligned grooves Z, in which is located a link or tongue, M, which serves to connect the ends of the ring. The said tongue or link is firmly secured in one of the grooves, and free to work back and forth in the other as the ring is compressed or expanded. The ring is placed on the upper side of the column of the valve, and is supported on the outer ends of the springs G.

From the upper end of the column 0 of the valve, near one edge thereof, projects a dowelpin, N, which enters an opening, 0, that is made in a bearing-plate, O. This plate is circular, and corresponds in diameter to the outside diameter of the yoke, and has a central opening, 0, to receive the boss or projection on the upper end of the column 0. This plate O has its upper side ground and smooth, and bears firmly against the upper plate or side of the steam-chest, being pressed against the said plate or side of the steam-chest by means of the springs G, and forming asteam-tight joint therewith.

By providing the valve with the spring-actuated upper bearing-plate, O, to bear against the under side of the steam-chest, and thereby filling the vertical space between the upper and lower sides of thesteam-chest, the steam is caused to bear or press upwardly against the under side of the projecting edges of the plate 0 with a pressure equal to that exerted upon the base of the valve, thereby relieving 9c the valve of the enormous downward pressure of the steam usual on slide-valves, and balancing the valve in the steanrchest and greatly reducing friction. I

I have found by actual test thata valve thus constructed may be worked or moved in the steam-chest under a full head of steam by means of the finger, so perfectly is it balanced,

b and to such an extent is it relieved of steampressure. By thus relieving the valve from the pressure of the steam not only is friction reduced and the power of the engine proportionately increased, but an economy is also effected in fuel and water, and the durability of the valve is greatly increased, thus avoiding the necessity of having to replace it from time to time,as is now the case.

An engine provided with a valve thus constructed may be reversed when the throttle is wide open, no necessity existing for closing the throttle, reversing the engine,and then reopening the throttle, as is now the case.

The function of the screws H and I, which bear upon the central portions of the springs G, is to adjust the said springs to cause them to raise the plate 0 with increased or diminished tension.

'1 he ring L is divided, and has its ends connected together by the tongue or link M, in order that the said ring may expand and contract with the column 0 under varying temperatures and steam-pressure, thus preventing the ring from bending on the column, and enabling it to Work freely thereon at all times, yet to embrace it so closely as to make a steamtight joint therewith and prevent steam from working between the said ring and the column, This construction, by reducing friction on the the column 0, provided with the studs E, of the yoke K, adapted to fit on the column,and having the opening 70 for clearing the studs, sub stantially as described.

2. The combination of the slide-valve having the column O,and the spring pressed-plate O, to bear against the top of the steam-chest, the yoke on the column, and the valverod attached to the said yoke, substantially as de scribed.

3. The combination of the slide-valve having the column 0, the expansible ring L on the said column, said ring being divided and having its ends connected together by the tongue or link M, the springs bearing under the ring, and the plate 0 on the upper side of the ring, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LEWES KNEEDLER.

Vitnesses:

J. F. NVALL, J. J. ARMSTRONG. 

